Thoughts About Preschool

That's right-- my child is not even two years old yet, and already I am thinking about the whole preschool thing! Yikes!

Anyway, it seems like a lot of people I know with slightly older children are starting to enroll their kiddos in 2- and 3-year-old preschool programs. As I tend to do, I started to panic a little. Does my kid need to go to preschool? am I failing as a parent? What do I do?? But after consulting various people, I think I have come to a conclusion.

It seems that the majority of people send their kids to preschool for a few main reasons: socialization, learning to listen to someone other than a parent, and learning basic skills. It also seems like the majority of these folks are stay-at-home parents (at least part time). With this in mind, I don't think that we will be sending Nikos to preschool. I was even more convinced that this was the right decision after chatting with Bonnie this afternoon.

Basically, Nikos is already IN preschool-- it just happens to be in the form of an in-home daycare center. His days have been filled with tons of peer socialization since day one. He has learned that Bonnie and Craig are in charge over there, and he listens to them (usually). Bonnie structures the day just like a preschool, even, with circle time and lots of activities throughout the day. The best part, though, is that Nikos is definitely learning over there. He can count from 1 to 14 in English (plus 1-5 in Spanish and 1-10 in Greek). He knows his colors, some of his shapes, and can recognize quite a few written numbers. Bonnie told me today that she teaches all the same standards that are taught in a preschool setting, and that her kiddos are always well-prepared for kindergarten.

In talking with Bonnie further, she said that some of her kids choose to go to preschool, but most don't. Teagen (her grandson, and Nikos' buddy) won't be going; neither will Brady or Mattias (whose moms are also teachers in my school district). She went on to tell me the names of the older kids I know who didn't go to preschool (these kids still come to her house after school)-- they are GOOD kids, and doing well in school. So I think I know what the right decision is for us-- and it's to keep the kids in daycare until they are ready to start kindergarten. And that, in itself, will be another huge decision because of Nikos' October birthday (should he be the oldest or the youngest in his class?).

AACK! Too much to think about!! I think the solution is to keep them both little forever. But I somehow don't think that's going to work. :(